The University of New Mexico is a public research university in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Founded in 1889 by the New Mexico Territorial Legislature, it is the state's second oldest university, one of two flagship universities in the state, and the largest by enrollment, with over 25,400 students in 2021.
The New Mexico Lobos men's basketball team represents the University of New Mexico, competing in the Mountain West Conference (MWC) in NCAA Division I. The university established basketball as a varsity sport in 1899 and began competing with regional colleges after establishing an athletics department in 1920.
Norman Dale Ellenberger was an American football, basketball, and baseball player and coach. He was head coach of the University of New Mexico Lobo basketball team from 1972 to 1979, winning Western Athletic Conference championships in 1974 and 1978 and compiling an overall record of 134–62 (.684). His former players included future National Basketball Association (NBA) defensive stand-out Michael Cooper, who helped lead the 1977–78 team that was ranked as high as No. 5 nationally. Ellenberger was dismissed as Lobo head coach due to a recruiting scandal known as "Lobogate".
The Arizona Wildcats are the athletic teams that represent the University of Arizona, located in Tucson. The Wildcats compete at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I level as a member of the Pac-12 Conference. Arizona's chief intercollegiate rival is the Arizona State Sun Devils, and the two universities' athletic departments compete against each other in multiple sports via the State Farm Territorial Cup Series.
The New Mexico Lobos football team is the intercollegiate football team at the University of New Mexico. The Lobos compete as a member of the Mountain West Conference. Their official colors are cherry and silver. The Lobos play their home games at University Stadium.
Craig Duane Neal is an American basketball coach and former professional player who is currently the associate head coach for the Nevada Wolf Pack of the Mountain West Conference (MWC). He was selected by the Portland Trail Blazers in the third round of the 1988 NBA draft, and played in the NBA and several minor leagues.
The Cincinnati Bearcats are the athletic teams that represent the University of Cincinnati. The teams compete in the NCAA's Division I and the Football Bowl Subdivision as members of the Big 12 Conference.
Donald Elliott Flanagan is an American retired basketball coach. From 1995 to 2011, Flanagan was head coach of the University of New Mexico women's basketball team.
The New Mexico State University teams are called the Aggies, a nickname derived from the university's agricultural beginnings. The mascot is known as "Pistol Pete". NMSU's colors are crimson and white. Since 2023 the Aggies have competed in Conference USA in all men's and women's sports. New Mexico State sponsors six men's and ten women's teams in NCAA sanctioned sports. The athletic director is Mario Moccia, who has held the position since January 2015.
Richard William Pitino is an American college basketball coach who is the head coach of the New Mexico Lobos men's team. From 2013 to 2021, he was head coach of the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers men's basketball team.
Bob King was a college basketball coach and administrator. He was head coach at the University of New Mexico from 1962 to 1972 and at Indiana State University from 1975 to 1978. He also served as Assistant Athletics Director at New Mexico (1972–73) and Athletics Director at Indiana State (1974–80).
The New Mexico Lobos women's basketball team represents the University of New Mexico in the Mountain West Conference in the NCAA Division I. The team is coached by Mike Bradbury.
The 2012–13 New Mexico Lobos men's basketball team represented the University of New Mexico as a member of the Mountain West Conference during the 2012–13 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Lobos were coached by sixth-year head coach Steve Alford and played their home games at The Pit in Albuquerque, New Mexico. They finish with a record of 29–6 overall and 13–3 in Mountain West play to win the Mountain West regular season championship. They were also champions of the Mountain West tournament, defeating UNLV in the championship game, to earn an automatic bid to the 2013 NCAA tournament. In the tournament, they were upset by Harvard in the first round.
The women's cross-country team at the University of New Mexico, known as the New Mexico Lobos, won the NCAA championship in 2015 and 2017. Also in 2017, Lobo Ednah Kurgat won the individual title with a record-setting time of 19:19.42. The team placed second nationally in 2018.
Raymond Joseph Birmingham Jr. is an American former college baseball coach. He was a baseball coach at the high school, junior college, and four-year college levels from 1978 to 1983 and 1988 to 2021, starting at Mayfield High School in Las Cruces, New Mexico from 1978 to 1983, then the College of the Southwest from 1988 to 1989, New Mexico Junior College from 1990 to 2007, and finally the New Mexico Lobos from 2008 to 2021. Upon retirement in 2021, Birmingham finished as the winningest baseball coach in New Mexico history and the winningest coach in Mountain West Conference history.
The Pit is an indoor arena in Albuquerque, New Mexico, serving primarily as the home venue of the University of New Mexico Lobos basketball teams. The facility opened in 1966 as University Arena but gained the nickname "The Pit" due to its innovative subterranean design, with its playing floor 37 feet (11 m) below street level. The arena is located on the UNM South Campus and has a seating capacity of 15,411 for basketball and up to 13,480 for concerts, with 40 luxury suites and 365 club seats.
Tod Markey Brown is an American baseball coach and former pitcher, currently serving as head baseball coach of the New Mexico Lobos. He played college baseball for Arizona for four seasons, helping the team to the 1992 Pac-10 Conference championship and falling just shy of the 1993 College World Series. He then served as the head coach of the North Dakota State Bison (2008–2021).
The 2016–17 New Mexico Lobos men's basketball team represented the University of New Mexico during the 2016–17 NCAA Division I men's basketball season as a member of the Mountain West Conference. They played their home games at The Pit in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The Lobos were led by fourth-year head coach Craig Neal. They finished the season 17–14, 10–8 in Mountain West play to finish in fifth place. They lost in the quarterfinals of the Mountain West tournament to Fresno State.
The 2022–23 New Mexico State Aggies men's basketball team represented New Mexico State University in the 2022–23 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Aggies were led by first-year head coach Greg Heiar and played their home games at the Pan American Center in Las Cruces, New Mexico as members of the Western Athletic Conference.
The 2023–24 New Mexico State Aggies men's basketball team represents New Mexico State University in the 2023–24 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Aggies are led by first-year head coach Jason Hooten and plays their home games at the Pan American Center in Las Cruces, New Mexico as first year members of the Conference USA.
